Sunday, October 16, 2011

For years, we’ve been told how much better our lives would be after we truly cracked down on illegal immigration. There’d be more jobs for Americans, fewer classrooms bogged down by non-English speakers. Our emergency rooms would be free of burden. We wouldn’t have to punch “1” so much for calls in English. A better life, if only we could send the illegals home.

Now we know.

Here’s what you get when you get the Mexicans to leave: Rotting crops, businesses closing, concerned police, children missing school. And, of course, families torn apart.

But at least the lawbreakers are leaving, right?

This is what we’re seeing in Alabama, which this month began enforcing the most rigorous immigration law in the country. There, it’s illegal to knowingly employ, assist or house an undocumented immigrant. The law also compels schools and police to verify the status of immigrants – or at least those who look like one – although a circuit court temporarily blocked the schools provision late Friday.

Georgia and Arizona lawmakers have passed similar laws, and North Carolina is prepping the soil by forming a new legislative committee on immigration issues. Its goal: make North Carolina “unwelcome for any illegal alien,” said Republican Rep. Frank Iler, a co-chair, to a Wilmington reporter last week.

Now we have a preview of what comes next. In Alabama, the new law has jarred cities and rattled communities where Latinos long ago put down roots while tending crops and working in poultry plants. Church pews are emptying. Businesses are scrambling to replace workers. Police are fretting about when and when not to check papers. Superintendents are pleading with Latino parents, assuring them they won’t be grabbed for deportation when they pick up their child. It’s not working – parents have pulled the kids, many of them U.S. citizens, and kept them home.

Above all, immigrants are leaving – some to other states that might be more welcoming, some back to their homeland.

To which many of you out there would say: Great.

Immigration opponents have long declared – with some real justification – that illegal immigrants strain our emergency rooms, slow our classrooms with ESL students, and cost our cities and towns millions in services. And once they’re gone, the thinking goes, more jobs will be available for unemployed American workers.

Except: In Alabama and Georgia, farmers say the law is killing them. The farmers, most of whom live in rural, conservative counties, say the U.S. Guest Worker program is woefully inadequate in supplying workers to tend their fields. What about all those locals needing jobs? “You’re out there in the sun and the rain,” an Alabama farmers representative told the Washington Post. “It’s just not attractive to Americans.”

So crops are going unharvested, with more than half rotting in some places. Farms are floundering, and prices surely will rise. Another casualty: Businesses that serve immigrant communities are suffering and closing their doors. That’s money that helps rev our economies – and jobs going away when we need them most.

It’s why the send-them-home solution has long been antiquated. Our cities and towns have settled into commerce that includes immigrant communities, their labor force, and their dollars. A better solution includes a combination of tightening borders, penalizing illegal immigrants with back taxes and fines, and perhaps making them take English lessons to help them assimilate – all in exchange for a path to U.S. citizenship.

That basic framework happens to be what President George Bush proposed five years ago, but those ideas were trounced in the Senate. Still, his attempt offered more than President Barack Obama and Congress, who occasionally talk immigration – but never risk the danger of an actual proposal.

The reason, of course, is that poll after poll show passionate disapproval of illegal immigrants. But another survey, conducted this year by Raleigh’s Public Policy Polling, showed that 69 percent of Americans were in favor of a solution similar to Bush’s, with both penalties and a path to citizenship. That support included 80 percent of Republicans and 62 percent of Democrats. Surely, numbers like those might help regrow some spines in Washington.

Because what we have otherwise is Alabama and Arizona and, soon enough, North Carolina.

Here’s what we get from those laws: U.S. citizens carrying identification papers because they look a little brown. Legal Latinos going back to their homeland, too, because they rightfully feel unwelcome. We get, most of all, another shameful chapter of Americans struggling to welcome someone different from those already living among them.

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comments:

YES, LET’S DO THE RIGHT THING! I AGREE ILLEGALS MUST LEAVE INCLUDING THEIR RELATIVES. THEY ARE NOT PART OF THIS LAND, INVADERS, UNDOCUMENTED DEMOCRATS, CRIMINALS, THEY ENTERED ILLEGALLY, THEIR CHILDREN WHO CARES, THEY ARE FROM ILLEGAL PARENTS, ILLEGALS MUST GO, LESS KIDS IN THE SCHOOLS SAVE MONEY, ILLEGAL IS ILLEGAL NO DOUBT, DEPORT THEM, MANDATORY E-VERIFY, END THE VISA LOTTERY, END THE BIRTHDAY CITIZENSHIP FOR ILLEGALS, DEMAND AND DEMAND REPRESENTATIVES SUPPORT THESE BILLS, I’M TIRED FROM THE ILLEGALS OVER AND OVER AGAIN, WE BELIVE IN GOD AND IN GOD WE TRUST,..........BEFORE I CONDEMN MY SELF, I REPENT FOR WHAT I SAID, BECAUSE I WILL STILL KEEP LISTENING TO THE TRUTH.

THUS SAITH THE LORD; EXECUTE YE JUDGMENT AND RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND DELIVER THE SPOILED OUT OF THE LAND OF THE OPPRESSOR: AND DO NO WRONG, DO NO VIOLENCE TO THE STRANGER, THE FATHERLESS, NOR THE WIDOW, NEITHER SHED INNOCENT BLOOD IN THIS PLACE. (KJV)

AND IF A STRANGER SOJOURN WITH THEE IN YOUR LAND SOJOURN WITH THEE IN YOUR LAND, YE SHALL NOT VEX HIM.(KJV)

AND I CHARGED YOUR JUDGES AT THAT TIME, SAYING, HEAR THE CAUSES BETWEEN YOUR BRETHREN, AND JUDGE RIGHTEOUSLY BETWEEN EVERY MAN AND HIS BROTHER, AND THE STRANGER THAT IS WITH HIM.(KJV)

BUT THE STRANGER THAT DWELLETH WITH YOU SHALL BE UNTO YOU AS ONE BORN AMONG YOU, AND THOU SHALT LOVE HIM AS THYSELF; FOR YE WERE STRANGERS IN THE LAND OF EGYPT: I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD.(KJV)

The movie A day with out a Mexican was also just as helpful as this article.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8t8DCSP020

Here we are with diminished resources and yet for some reason we can not figure out why it happened in our country.

In 2005 ACTC tax credits were 905 Million and last year they were 402 billion with 72 percent of these people using a taxpayers tax ID number to get this credit. http://www.theblaze.com/stories/govt-audit-illegal-immigrants-received-4-2-billion-in-tax-credits-last-year/

NOTE: What happened to the earlier comments that were posted with this column? Why all deleted ?

Reposting:

What a crock. What part of illegal don't you understand? Immigrants shouldn't be leaving -- they built this great country. Illegal ones should be. My grandparents came to this country at the end of the 19th century -- of Mediterranean stock and considered a "little brown". But guess what? They came here legally through Ellis Island, learned English right away because they wanted to be American, and worked hard to achieve the American Dream. They overcame any obstacles in their path like throngs of immigrants before them who were at first labeled "undesirable" . That's the legacy they and other legal immigrants like them left. And I'm proud to say it's mine.

When our governments at the local, city, county, state, and national levels demonstrate repeatedly that it's okay to break the law... well then I guess it's okay to break the law! At least that's what we are teaching all our young people nowadays! Don't you think!

Peter, I give you credit for trying. You really do try to give these people the whole picture. Mostly though, they do not want to know nor do they care.

Let us ALL be honest...

Once the "labor" is done, Americans do not care where or how. Walmart...they could change their marketing to say:

"We destroyed the environment in China, put factory workers in unsafe conditions, and broke every law Americans have to bring you this low low price"

And Americans would line up at the door to get the deal.

Heck, most of the people I have met in two decades in this area would have to think about where China even was on a globe.

Reality is, no one cares what happens to illegals. They think it means more American jobs but faily to blame the American small business owner who hired and under paid the illegal while forcing any healthcare they did obtain to come at the expense of the taxpayer.

But again, at least I don't hear me no ESPANOLE when I goes to the Food Lion any more.

With Pres. Obama making Americans poor with policy, creating a social system, then more people will have to take a cheap job that foreigners are doing and down size everything they own to 3rd world status.

I know of one business that is about to close because they loss their Mexican clients and it might result in a forclosure of the retail center. If the market did not have a need for inexpensive labor, then it would not exist and Americans would have filled those jobs years ago. The government needs to stay out of the job market and over turn the free trade act.

Regarding the comments, I put the weekly column in my blog each week. I did it a little later than normal this week, which is why the other version collected some comments before we switched over to the blog. I haven't seen those comments, but I'm guessing that they probably mirror the ones we're seeing here. I've never hid from disagreement, as you can see from today's commenters.

Do you really believe that the changes illegal immigrants caused to the workforce would be cured immediately? That sounds like a very Democratic spin on this story. What do you propose than? That all illegals be granted amnesty and immediately get the benefits of this country? Maybe if they volunteered to serve in our military that would work, but your slanted viewpoint is part of what's wrong with the system.

And so it begins, again. Another shameful chapter in the American history books. The destruction of the native American civilization by illegal white Europeans, who then went on to enslave an entire race. Now, they give in to the fear mongering and another political soap box to justify another shameful act. It will take billions in effort and decades to accomplish this pointless and heartless act. Be ashamed.

all those " wall street protestors" could take over the jobs the illegals have, and all the "free" education the illegals have ..and all the other benefits the illegals have..you know for being in this country illegally.

Who in the He-- do you think built this country before we had such a big influx of illegals? Maybe you should go back and read some of our history books and find out. If you want to side with the Chamber of Commerce and the rest of the businesses that want the low paid illegals, that's fine but don't try to convince the rest of us that we need the illegal workers here in order to survive.

What would change? My husband, and our friends who have worked in construction fields for years, will be able to earn enough to support our families again. You know -- the families that contain all US Citizens. Our twenty-something and teenage kids will be able to fill the jobs that have historically been worked by teens and twenty-somethings. Until 20+ million illegal immigrants arrived competed for them.

I find this article absolutely offensive. Peter, maybe you'd like to talk to the American Workers who would LOVE to do jobs that illegal immigrants are currently holding. For work where not enough Americans can be found to fill the jobs, we do have work visa programs set up to address this. If we need more TEMPORARY GUEST worker permits, then that's an issue to be addressed. But really... to say our way of life will shut down if the illegal immigration problem is dealt with -- ?? Hard to believe you could find it in yourself to actually put that in print. Go Observer. Wouldn't have expected any different.

I don't agree that illegal immigrants are the cause of this problem. The problem is that no one is doing anything to fix the crisis That we are going through. It's sad how people want immigrants want them to leave when yeah many are coming TO HAVE A BETTER LIFE. The People Who don't care that there families are suffering, how would you feel if it was you? in that situation? not to good right? than stop acting stupid about something you don't know how it feels. Do something for the crisis can stop and stop blaming the immigrants. its starting to look like Racial Segregation.

Americans did do these jobs not so many years ago. Down sizing? Many Americans have lost their homes. We are helping a family that is being foreclosed, they will be moving into one of our rental properties before the end of this month.Both adults have lost their jobs and you got it, one is in construction, the other worked for a carpet company and both were displaced by illegals. You think Americans are so hard hearted? We are giving them several months free rent in order to give them time to get back on their feet. It's called Americans helping Americans.For you who want to use Bible quotes, here's one for you:John 10:1Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.Now about those crops rotting in the fields:The farmers were admittedly using illegal labor which is against Federal law. The states are just enforcing that law.The farmers had the option to use the H2A visa if they could not find enough American workers, although with 13 million workers out of work it's rather strange. Perhaps it's because they haven't advertised for work where people know to look. I checked the job listings and found less than 30 ads for farm help in the states of Georgia and Alabama. Several of those listings required an education.Back to the H2A visa, It has no cap so farmers can get as much foreign labor as they need. Of course they would have to pay transportation, provide decent housing (with running water), pay the prevailing wage and carry workman's comp. Now do you understand why they are crying in their onion fields?Separating families is the risk taken by every illegal who came here and married a citizen or gave birth to a child in this country. They knew that risk and it was their decision to take it. Where is the sympathy for the American citizen who steals a loaf of bread to feed his family? Does anyone worry about him being separated from them?Not all illegals are Mexican and not all Mexicans are illegal so put your race card back in your deck.

Peter, the headline for this article on the Observer's home page is "What happens after we send the immigrants away?"

You forgot the word "illegal". As usual in the Observer.

As any non-mentally-challenged person knows, there is a difference in a legal and illegal immigrant, and those who want tougher immigration laws and enforcement are against the "ILLEGAL" part of that name.

The fact that your paper nearly always chooses to obscure that little fact is what brands you and your co-workers as dishonest and deceitful people.

Last night I was out with friends - 2 new friends, both latino, proudly announced to the group multiple times that they were proud to be mexican - This reinforced my thinking - that if you are so proud...go home. It was obvious to everyone that they were here illegally.

Kay and Anon: The H2A visa hasn't supplied the workers necessary for farmers, who complain that it's woefully inadequate, and Americans are showing in case after case that they don't want to do that work.

I don't believe our life will be shut down in any circumstance, but I do believe it's to our benefit to penalize, educate and offer undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship.

The homepage should have the same headline as the blog, and I've asked our online folks to make that change.

Ghoul, I didn't delete any comments. As I explained, we switched to the blog, as we do each week, and that replaced the other version of the story. I can't imagine that those comments are any more critical about my column than the ones you see on the blog right now, and I welcome anyone who wants to repost from that version to here.

The rampant xenophobia in America is an embarrassment to us all. It is, however, nothing new. Over the years the xenophobes have screamed that we will be destroyed by:The IrishThe ChineseBlack peopleHungariansHaitiansCubansMexicansSouth Americans

The United States *did* send illegals away once, during the Eisenhower administration. Google "Operation Wetback" for the details or read this article http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0706/p09s01-coop.html.

What was the result of sending illegals home? The United States was the world's greatest economy.

"The H2A visa hasn't supplied the workers necessary for farmers, who complain that it's woefully inadequate, and Americans are showing in case after case that they don't want to do that work."

Peter, They have been using illegals for years rather than use the H2A. You have to make your applications for H2A workers ahead of time and most of the farmers who used illegal labor held out hoping that the law would be struck down.

"I don't believe our life will be shut down in any circumstance, but I do believe it's to our benefit to penalize, educate and offer undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship."

Peter, I believe there will be an adjustment period. You cannot take someone who has never done farm work and expect them to be immediately productive. Some won't do the work but those that do will need time for their bodies to adjust to the bending, squatting, lifting, etc. that farm work entails. Much of the work is done by machine now.If we are to offer citizenship to anyone, it is my personal opinion that it should be to those caught in the backlog of people who have filed the papers to come here legally and become proud American citizens. Citizenship should not be a reward for those who willingly break our laws. In most cases, it is not just illegal entry they are guilty of. It is using fraudulent papers, driving without licence and insurance, etc. The crime of illegal entry leads to more crime.

They came here illegally, they remain here illegally and it should be a state criminal offense to hire an illegal. Make the employer pay $10000. for each illegal he has hired and you will have to deport none. This will force an employer to use E Verify. No the crops will not rot in the field, however you might have to pay 10 or 15 cents more.

Pete: As a legal immigrant with 23 years in this country I have to commend you for your honesty. It is easy to disguise racism using the argument of legality. It is also easy to be lazy and simply let everybody in without thinking about the consequences of uncontrolled immigration.

At least you have the decency and journalistic integrity to write about what is happening with this immigration mess.

Anon, 8:21: The issues farmers have with H2A involve caps on how many workers they can use, along with the system being cumbersome and different to navigate. It's not a matter of not having the paperwork filled out in time.

The guest worker program isn't sufficient because the immigration laws aren't enforced. If laws were enforced, they would absolutely register through the legal process for the opportunity of work here. In the meantime, supplement with American's who are living off the government. It just may inspire a little productivity and sense of worth.

When I was out of work, I would have gladly picked crops for the farmers to get a paycheck. My teenage sons and wife as well. That a farmer complains of having no labor because the illegals leave It would seem to me he's not willing to pay that much for help.

But I don't think that's what is at the heart of these laws. They are no different than homelessness prohibition laws. Their objective is to drive them through fear to be another state's problem.

OMG! We would have English back as a national language, we would not have illegals (what is this undocumented nonsense) driving drunk and or without insurance. The hospital costs would reduce as they continue to take advantage of birth citizenship, our taxes would drop as we would not be taking care of them for free. Crime would reduce. Where do we sign up to excelerate this?

So why can't the 10% of America that is unemployed go work in the fields? Is it that they're too "good" to work in a field and opt instead to collect welfare? Sounds like a pretty good deal - unemployment, food stamps, welfare. Just let the immigrants make the money while I, with my job and taxes, pay for your laziness. Brilliant!

I live next to (well before the Great Recession) the wealthiest country on Earth. My country is one of the poorest developing country's in this hemisphere or maybe in the world. I look north for a better opportunity and I bet you, I'd probably die trying to get to this land of milk and honey to make a better life for me and my family.

So change is hard, so we shouldn't change. That is what you are saying. And it's stupid. Of course things are going to be difficult in a transition. But I think your devastation of rotting field crops should be made better by the fact that people who broke into this country and use services they don't have any right to are gone.

Why does it have to be all or nothing? If you have a job and pay taxes, you can be put in a program to learn English and pay a fee and become a US Citizen. However, if you do not have a job, if you and your family rely on housing, medical or food aid for more than 1 year OR you commit a crime, you get sent back. Other countries do this all the time...the folks who seek to pay their own way by starting companies or doing a job are welcome...others no. We don't have any idea who has come into this country and brought diseases, drug mules, criminal intent, etc. We just don't know. So, we try to keep the good folks and run off the bad folks or those intent on costing us money through social services.

First of all, you've been brainwashed into NOT using the correct term which is ILLEGAL immigrant.

Also, all these "immigrants" as you call them have to do is move to California. That pathetic state will take every single ILLEGAL in the country, which is where many from Alabama and Georgia have gone to.

Necessity is the mother of invention...

Many other field crops have adjusted to machine harvest, eliminating the need for ILLEGALS to harvest them.

Perhaps the tomato industry can invent a harvesting machine that would do the same thing.

The word "Illegal" is thrown about as if it is a felony. Do you realize it is illegal to travel 45 in a 35. It is illegal to throw trash down on the ground, cigarette butts included. So many self righteous "Americans" who were only fortunate enough to be born in America who themselves are nothing but leaches on society are the same ones pointing their fingers at people who are in the country without "papers". For instance, Cubans that can land on the beach are not "illegal". The govt is responsible for this division in our society. The politcal powers that be either need to allow those living in the shadows of our society to come forward pay a fine like you would for speeding or littering and then give them legal residency status. Being in the country without documentation is a "Civil" offense not a "criminal" offense under Federal statutes. That is why the states are passing the laws making it a "crime" to be in the country without documentaion. If not then close the dang border...Are we not suppose to be protecting the homeland? I do not fault those walking into our country looking for a better life. What is the downside for them...Oh get sent back home? No wonder they are willing to try. We need Immigtation reform in this country. However, why would the Govt want to do this when they know many of these guys are using bogus social security numbers, supporting the system without the benefit of ever receiving a payout....hmmmm makes you wonder...

for what it's worth. my parents and i came from Europe in the early 50's. couldn't get into the US due to the immigration laws. so we settled for Canada. a couple of years later, a Europen couple of the same nationality as us "sponsed" us to come to the US. sponser is a term that means, if we can't support ourselves, they are responsible for taking care of our needs. turns out, they didn't have to. we learned American. became US legal immigrants. then became US citizens. move forward a generation and a half. my wife a foreigner. came to the US legally as a legal immigrant. now just became a US citizen. total cost to us, around $7000. so, what's the issue with our south of the border friends doing the same.

This is 2011, technology and productivity ganis will take care of any "lack' of workers. The illegal immigrants still need to leave and our laws *must* be enforced. Ask a coherent Mexican what they think of Guatemalens and what their government does to those illegal immigrants. Mexico has very strict immigration laws into their thirld world, but help push their citizens through our many backdoors. Tired of all the hypocrisy and lectures- we have immigration laws and for very good reasons... enforce those laws, deport those who are here illegally and prosecute those who help and/or hire them. Period.

Mr. St. Onge finishes his piece with the idea we should feel shame about wanting illegal aliens to go home, and that this shame should be the same as felt over the treatment of black Americans.

Mr. St. Onge, there is absolutely no analogy for the two cases. I certainly feel no shame at all about wanting illegal aliens to go home.

I also have no problem with the dislocation and economic damage that employers of illegals experience when they are deported. After all, these employers have reaped a money bonus from these low-wage workers and heaped the external costs on taxpayers. The market will establish proper prices for labor after the illegals leave.

Yet another "thoughtful" argument in favor of the illegals from the usual suspects at the CO.

Here's a thought that you and your friends around the watercooler probably haven't had.

One of the biggest complaints,this one legitimate, that the Occupy Wall Street (et al) people have had is lack of jobs.

High school and college students used to be able to count on a lot of low income, but reliable , jobs that they could use to pay the bills. Some even worked their way through college that way (I'm one of them).

But they have been driven out of the seasonal job market by immigrants who are here all year around.

Not only that, but those immigrants tend to send that money back home, as opposed to our people who spend it here.

You people like to portray yourselves as tiny band of super intelligent, super moralist, fighting a rising tide of stupidity and ignorance.

But it is YOU Mr. St. Onge, and your friends, that are defending the immoral and unreasonable policy.

No other country has such obviously stupid and unreasonable immigration policies. Maybe you should go to Mexico and tell them they're wrong.

You get hard jail time in Mexico for what you are advocating here Peter.

The headline of this blog always said "illegal," although the homepage didn't until it was corrected. The print version also didn't have illegal in the headline because of space, but I wanted to be more precise here.

The content of the blog post is, as always, the same as the print column. Those have not changed.

The print version didn't have illegal because of space? When did context lose out to space. Come on Pete, it was a conscious decision, you know, we know it, but you continue to lie about it. Why? We all know the slant the paper has, you know it too, but continue the company line that you have no bias.

Generations have lived off entitlement programs. Combined with the culture of doing bad in school, these factors allow 'americans' the choice of not working. Why work when housing, food, utilities and medical are all free? End all entitlement programs. Put people back to work.

"The destruction of the native American civilization by illegal white Europeans, who then went on to enslave an entire race."

Such pathetic poorly uneducated ignorant racist ungrateful trash. Where would the anthropologist labeled black negroid African race be had it not been for slavery but back in the putrid 3rd world jungles of Africa? Slavery in the west and colonialization of Africa was the consumate savior otherwise 100s of millions would be sucking down spoiled maggot meat living in unimaginable primitive filth disease and poverty.

Native Americans? They are originally of the red yellow mongoloid race from Asia who crossed the Bering land bridge to get here. They are not natives and were not Americans. America was named America only in 1512 by Italian explorer Americus Vespucia. The real native Americans are of the European caucasoid race of white Latin or Anglican descent.

Advanced civilization only came with the advent of the Europeans to the western hemisphere and to the African continent and even much of Asia.

Go back to school and take history and geography courses. Ignorance and racism is due to a lack of proper education. The caucasoid race was ordained as the world savior race to spread advanced civilization mainly through "white man religion" christianity with its world headquarters based in the southern European city of Rome.

I'm stunned by the comments here. We have illegal labor because we won't face what it takes to maintain our middle class lifestyle in this country. It can't be supported by paying a living wage to those who harvest our food. They will take the work becuase living conditions were just as brutal where they came from, but here at least they can get create a chance for their kids. It's the same thing that brought every group of immigrants to this country. When our grocery bills double and our farms fail, when our supermarkets suddenly look shabby, unfilled, and shockingly overpriced--will we still NOT see the connection? To say "illegal is illegal" is totally thoughtless. We decide what is and isn't just, we make the laws in a process that begins with thoughtful speech. I'm not seeing that happening here. It's truly a shame, fot the workers being driven out, for the kids who are a part of our future, and for the people ranting who don't get their own connection or benefit from the community they live in.

Peter: Americans won't work slave jobs for slave wages but illegals will. So let's keep the illegal tide flowing. You could use the same justification for maintaining slavery in the 1860s. "Free men won't do these jobs so we must have slavery." Either way you are arguing for exploitation. If the chicken plants and farmers would pay a fair wage they would find Americans to do their jobs. Oh, but you say, then the price of chicken and lettuce would rise. Yes. But all the welfare and food stamps going to children of illegal aliens would end, all the free rides on the backs of taxpayers at emergency rooms would end, crime would drop (illegals live in an underground society which makes them vulnerable to crime and falling into criminal activity), identity theft would be minimized, property taxes would drop and schools would improve. Farmers, chicken plants, and construction contractors need to stop asking the rest of us to subsidize their workforce because they don't want to pay a living wage and benefits like other employers. The illegal immigration equation puts the cost of doing business on the middle class taxpayer while providing slave labor for the rich who hire gardeners and nannies. Show all illegals the door and make the farmers pay a living wage. I'll pay more for lettuce.

People are right let send all the illegals back to their country so we can only work with true americans who always call off or think comeing late to work is a norm and want to be pay $40 per hour to wash dishes. Good article Peter but people can see the true thats ashame.

Hey look guys and girls. Somebody has to bring all the trillions in untaxed drugs into America to feed its massive drug habit, right?

You see, theres the answer to the annual deficit crisis and somebody tell Obama all that dope comes from Afghanistan he is defending so disengeniously.

Why not legalize all drugs and tax the hell out of them about 50% to 60% and let Uncle Sam run the "drug stores" set the prices and regulate the "drug farms" to put America back to work and then abolish the IRS to keep your money.

You could then abolish half the Americas jail cells lawyers judges cops agents and courts who feed off your taxes and the illicit drug trade plus most of the illegals would return to their citizenship home.

We live in a capitalist society, so after reading so many comments on this subject I’m beginning to understand why America is the way it is- bc we have so many small minded fools. Capitalism is make the highest profit possible- that is our battle cry what we shout to the world. We have no laws on profit. Why has all of our manufacturing jobs left this country people? Huh? Oh yeah bc they can hire people cheaper in other countries. Ironically many people think these corporations are roll models bc they create a few jobs here and make profit off the backs of people in other countries. Now it is ok for a company to hire a person very cheap then ship that product back to us for higher profit, but be darn any one who hires that same person cheaply here. I stress again we live in a capitalist society so when a brown man shows up to cut my grass for $5 and a citizen shows up to cut it for $15- why should I hire that citizen for more money to do the exact same work? Illegal immigration boils down to the feds giving a person permission to be here- 1 case of trespassing that’s all. Anyone who speeds, comes to a rolling stop, j-walks put themselves and the public in more physical danger than a person crossing a line in the sand. Yet most folks will trivialize those traffic crimes as not that bad while demonizing a person for crossing the boarder, but the fact is speeding kills more people each year than immigration does (you speeders are more dangerous and no different than those illegal’s you hate). Bottom line is most people break several laws a day and think nothing of it- those are minor laws while at the exact same time demonizing a person crossing a boarder to find a better life (ironic that is how America was first formed and we didn’t have the Indian’s permission to come here- we didn’t eve obey our own laws or the judges rulings when it came to the Indian’s, but now feel self righteous to enforce the laws we have now made up) Now let’s really be honest about the cost’s here- schools, cops, firefighters are paid for by property taxes and if an illegal is living here their landlord is paying those property taxes through the rent they collect (otherwise the gov will take the property), illegal’s pay sales and gas tax every time they spend a dollar, so the only thing they are probably getting away with is income tax. Now let’s not forget illegal’s are working cheaply and you have to make over a certain amt each yr to even have to pay taxes- I’m just not sure how much income tax they are not paying- probably not as much as most middles/higher class people try and hide/cheat on their taxes. Now you can say what you want about the jobs- those jobs are there right now why aren’t citizens going out and working the fields now? Oh yeah bc you same people who complain about illegal’s don’t want to do hard work for cheap pay- if the illegal’s leave are you going to want to do it then? Even if you force companies to pay higher wages to citizens that only transfers to higher prices at the store while your pay rate at your job will stay the same. Weather you small minded people want to accept the truth or not the facts remain this country was built on cheap immigration. From the railroads, to the roads, to the electrical grid it was all built mainly by people coming from different countries to work cheaply for us. To those who just want all the illegal’s to leave just answer me- can you afford to have all prices across the board rise higher while your pay stays the same? It’s simple economics people if you have to pay workers more in order to keep the same profit you have to charge more for the product. If you truly want an immigrant free place more to Alabama/Georgia and see how great it is- but don’t start whining when you find those states bankrupt and poverty stricken- then your complains will turn to government officials when really the whole cause was self induced from small minded stupidity from an entitlement society.

Illegal immigration boils down to the feds giving a person permission to be here- 1 case of trespassing that’s all. Anyone who speeds, comes to a rolling stop, j-walks put themselves and the public in more physical danger than a person crossing a line in the sand. Yet most folks will trivialize those traffic crimes as not that bad while demonizing a person for crossing the boarder, but the fact is speeding kills more people each year than immigration does (you speeders are more dangerous and no different than those illegal’s you hate). Bottom line is most people break several laws a day and think nothing of it- those are minor laws while at the exact same time demonizing a person crossing a boarder to find a better life (ironic that is how America was first formed and we didn’t have the Indian’s permission to come here- we didn’t eve obey our own laws or the judges rulings when it came to the Indian’s, but now feel self righteous to enforce the laws we have now made up)

This is not even a logical statement and reeks of pure ignorant racism and hatred of a blessed chosen European christian race who was ordered by the Divine to go unto the world and Spread the Truth and Word to the pagans and idolatrors. Where much is given much is expected and was fulfilled.

The white caucasoid European Latino Hispanic Conquistadors who first came to the western hemisphere over 500 yrs ago did so on a "mission from G-d" in order to conquer this vast untamed wild hemisphere of pagan savages who practiced beastality cannibalism human sacrifice and every other concievable form of wicked vice.

Many books have been subsequently written on how a few hundred Conquitador Crusaders at a time could defeat tens of millions of mongoloid indian Asian migrants in such short periods of time including the great empires of the aztecs myans incas and others. Divine intervention is their final conclusion. Doing the will of the Creator and his Word recieved in orders from the Vatican in Rome.

We know over 50% were slaughtered by Divine will and the rest were incorporated into christianity and western civilization but today the entire western hemisphere is completely christianized as was ordered.

Ignorance must countered at all times and the Truth imposed to cancel this mass form of inferior education that permeates in the modern pc secular heathen age.

Your comment claiming that "the numbers and impact" are different today than during Eisenhower's SUCCESS in driving illegals out shows that you either didn't read the linked article or you simply don't want people to know that the US DID have the ability to rid itself of illegals and CAN do so again.

From the article:

"Then on June 17, 1954, what was called "Operation Wetback" began. Because political resistance was lower in California and Arizona, the roundup of aliens began there. Some 750 agents swept northward through agricultural areas with a goal of 1,000 apprehensions a day. By the end of July, over 50,000 aliens were caught in the two states. Another 488,000, fearing arrest, had fled the country.

By mid-July, the crackdown extended northward into Utah, Nevada, and Idaho, and eastward to Texas.

By September, 80,000 had been taken into custody in Texas, and an estimated 500,000 to 700,000 illegals had left the Lone Star State voluntarily."

This Department of Homeland Security document states that there are 700,000 illegals in Texas now, THE EXACT SAME NUMBER AS VOLUNTARILY LEFT during the Eisenhower program.

The article goes on to quote three separate former US immigration enforcement officials, who are UNANIMOUS in their belief that a similar program could be successfully enacted today.

Let me link the article again, so you and your readers can learn some truth and history:

If every illegal immigrant involved in lawn maintenance were to die tomorrow, I'm sure life in the US would go on.

People would adapt by mowing their own lawns, substituting various low maintenance plants for the high maintenance ones and maybe even changing our esthetic sense toward one in which biodiversity (e.g., weeds) was more acceptable.

We could also innovate ourselves out of this "labor shortage" for menial labor.

Remember how we used to have gas station attendants back in the 1960's?

Now, even little old ladies can pump their own gas.

Sometimes too much cheap labor is a crutch that keeps us from progressing.

No one suggest the following. Have the land owners go to the local unemployment office and post those $120 x day jobs as available immediate! Make the cas eworkers aware of the jobs openings and make the send you candidates. All those freeloaders in thesystem gwtting unemplyoment benefits and or food stamps must apply and try to ge a jb.if they do get a job and dont perform. Cut them form the freeloading system we pay for and get the next american in need for honest work. For as long as we keep providing lazy americans with ways not to work theres is no incentive to go work.

2. Georgia has already lost Billions of dollars from their economy due to their immigration law. Their governor tried to put into place many of the arguments being made here (put the unemployed/poor/paroled to do these jobs). Here is the result:

Shameless that the author of this article chose to single out Mexicans instead of address the issue of illegal immigration.

Note the diversion from the topic in the second quote below:"For years, we’ve been told how much better our lives would be after we truly cracked down on illegal immigration""Here’s what you get when you get the Mexicans to leave: Rotting crops, businesses closing, concerned police, children missing school. And, of course, families torn apart."

For years, we’ve been told how much better our lives would be after we truly cracked down on illegal immigration. There’d be more jobs for Americans, fewer classrooms bogged down by non-English speakers. Our emergency rooms would be free of burden. We wouldn’t have to punch “1” so much for calls in English."

You forgot National Security and reduction of human trafficking (of all sorts including child prostitution). You forgot about the reduction of international organized crime rings, and gangs, and terrorism.

I remember when the first illegal aliens came to work at my job I was 18. They were all between 18 and 35. We all worked for a major corporation. Minimum wage. The illegal immigrants refused to to the dirty work that I was not too proud to do. They laughed at me just like everyone else did. I was the only employee in the dept. who would do the job. Every day. I will just say that it involved all kinds of grease and fat and tallow that was rotting in the hot summer sun. I also did this through college. I went on to graduate college with a double major and now make six figures.I have never met an illegal immigrant or anyone else who was willing to do nastier work than I did for 5 years.So when anyone tries to say American's won't work under harsh conditions or wont work for minimum wage with no benefits. They are lying. I did and not one other person I worked with -illegal immigrant or otherwise- would do half the nasty stuff I did for the same terrible pay. And none of the people I worked at that job deserve to make six figures because they don't have what it takes to make it.I say send back the illegal aliens. They might work harder than some American's. They never worked harder than me and they never will. That ship doesn't float with me.

Several people have made a great point about if we reduce public assistance for able-bodied citizens, the job's "american's won't do" would be jobs american's would do. I think it is a great idea. Send home illegal aliens, reduce the budget for public assistance, put time limits , and increase the standards. Watch the dependent citizen population become productive

A little over a year ago ICE raided a chicken processing plant in Greenville, SC and arrested over 300 illegals. The next week when they announced they were hiring over 800 legal Americans applied for jobs.So don't tell me there are not people willing to take low paying jobs who are Americans.

"It’s just not working," said Jenkins, who grows tomatoes on Chandler Mountain, near Gadsden. "You can’t get the (American) workers out here to do the work that the Hispanics were doing. They’re just not capable."

"A four-person crew of immigrant workers can pick and box more than 250 crates of tomatoes in a day, Spencer said, or enough for each person on the crew to earn about $150 at the height of the harvest.

A 25-person team of citizens recently picked and processed about 200 boxes in a day, he said, earning each member only $24. Spencer said the people weren’t in good enough physical condition to work harder or longer hours and typically gave up when faced with acre after acre of tomato plants ready to be picked."

Send them back. Benefits would be available for those who truly need them. Bi-lingual wouldn't be a pre-requisite for many customer service positions (retail etc). Roofing and vinyl siding jobs would be available to legal American citizens...as would other jobs. As for anon that posted about corps taking jobs to countries for cheaper labor, they also don't have the laws to adhere to for safety in the workplace. Our unions were first created to protect the workers. Yes, they took it too far with wages that were(are) astronimical, but the original factor was so the workers were protected from too many hours and unsafe working conditions. Now American Corps can do this over there with no worries, treating workers badly with wages adding up to pennies a week. Should we not want better than that? But we should not allow that to happen here in America, and a lot of the sweat factories that hire illegals are doing just that. Send the illegals home, make the sweat mills abide by American Labor laws, and hire American.

This is crazy, what part of illegal do we not understand? So, if I'm a drug dealer and I know this guy/girl is dependent on a drug and I sell to them do I get off because I'm helping them with their habit? NO, the word illegal is all that's needed to show this is wrong. Also, why speak on a poll when all of them are taking by a small group of people that doesn't represent the thousands who disagree with it? There is a disconnect between the employed and unemployed on this issue. One thing we all know, it's illegal and that's enough to convict, send home or what have you. Why should hard-working tax payers be held accountable for illegals and their kids getting an education that we have to pay for. Freedom is not free and we all have to pay for whatever, but some feel the need for them to get it for free. If you walk in any grocery store you can see them holding their WIC's or EBT card getting food off of us when they shouldn't had that right as a normal citizen. Why can't Americans just go to Mexico and start working like they do? I'll tell you why, they have some very strict immigration laws but we are a bunch of punks who choose to try and take care of everyone.

Americans keep their mouth full talking about human rights and how wonderful they are by helping other countries, yet here in their own land they do the contrary. If you are proud to be an American, Gringo, Yankee or Redneck because your country overcame the time of slavery, you should think twice. These days Latinos are segregated, humiliated, and treated like animals by Americans that claim they are doing the “right thing”. What we are seeing right now, is history repeating itself. This time the target is Latinos. I guess Martin Luther King should’ve been more specific. It’s ironic that when people are trying to become a US citizen they are asked if they have ever participated in any extremist group, while some Americans are just a few steps away from being like Hitler. Remember my fellow Americans, that way before England came over here, the Native Americans were here and guess who killed them and segregated them onto reservations in this wonderful land of freedom that we call The United States of America.

To the author: You clearly reference to Mexicans, but you fail to mention other ethnicity that are UNDOCUMENTED not ILLEGAL.

For those of you who are saying send them back, what is wrong with you? Unless you're are a Native American, you didn't come to this country legally. You are all immigrants and major hypocrites. Don't refer to immigrants like they are dumb, just because they don't speak English or have to work in demeaning jobs that you yourself won't do.

Who gives a fuck if they are UNDOCUMENTED? It doesn't affect you. Trust me, unless you're rich, your taxes are minuscule compared to what immigrants collectively contribute to the U.S. economy. It wouldn't kill for some of you to take political science and economics classes.

A word from the wise:Don't repeat everything you hear, especially if it comes from Fox News. Do your own research, come up with your own conclusion. You would be surprised of what you can uncover if you pick up a book. Just saying.....

Do you ever wonder who is hiring undocumented immigrants? Ummm...yea, that would be major corporations that dont care for legal status because they benefit in cheap labor. So instead on blaming it all on immigrants, why don't you go straight to the source?

Just because you are American, it does't make you superior from anyone else. FYI, this country is no longer on top. Leave your nationalism aside and open your eyes!

What if you were a current undocumented immigrant? What would you do?

Some of you are just hateful and racist. Get some treatment for that xenophobia...

Thanks Peter for a great post about the way that HB56 is setting our state back 50 years. I'd invite your readers who support hardworking and honest immigrants to join the Facebook group "Becoming Visible" and get in on the ground floor of the first social media protest in the state! We're telling the real stories of immigrants in Alabama.

It's only illegal because a paper says so. It'll be quicker to change the paper and make them legal than to disrupt society with massive deportations. It's striking how some unknowingly disclose themselves and paint immigrants and illegal aliens with the same wide brush. Make them legal and have them learn English. Tax them, and they'll be no different then you. Deport the bad apples... NEXT!

Although America has given trillions over the ages it never bragged and owes nothing to anybody and never did now swimming in 15 trillion red ink from a WH who has spent 5 trillion in less than 3 years and 3 times what previous biggest ever spender Bush.

Immigration laws changed ages ago yet its been nothing but a free for all flood of illegals the past 10 years costing hundred of billions to taxpayers. A few were needed to pick crops and fruit or other chores but not the massive flood who have entered illegally thanks to the BushBama duo

Bring the military home and line them on the border to stop the flood and too take care of the drug war spilling over. Shoot to kill. Protect the borders.

Socialist murderers must be removed from the WH who continue to meddle and promote large scale revolution in Arab nations assassinating so called dictator leaders. America must reclaim this nation back to capitalism and private enterprize. Obama has more blood on his hands than Bush. His revolution meddlings have only produced more turmoil.

These same socialists failed in their attempt to legalize 20 million rejects of other nations in order to take advantage of their votes politically to stay in power yet they call others as dictators and tyrants? The pot is calling the kettle black.

Clearly the TP is the last chance answer for America to return it to its founding values and principles and cleanse the socialist scum intentionally destroying it from the inside out core with massive corruption laying waste to capitalism private enterprise.

Uninvited illegal peasants must wait in line to become citizens. Trying to legalize them for political votes to retain power is the height of despotism and tyranny. Stop promoting revolution and choas to murder other leaders. Stop meddling and illegal interventionism. What goes around comes around. Dont be shocked when Obama is kicked out in 2012. He earned it.

Let's get real here, Peter. Some employers might have difficulty adjusting and may actually have to pay their fair share of payroll and taxes, but they'll survive. The market will have to adjust, capitalism is flexible. Illegal immigrants filling low pay positions has contributed to the wealth chasm in this country that has continued to grow alarmingly. I understand that you have the security of sitting at your desk and writing articles without the fear of how you're going to pay your mortgage next month or buy groceries and gas this week. Count yourself fortunate and please try to obtain a more objective view.

hello,people im here to say that im an indian,and i just feel all these comments are stupid,because all you white people need to stop claiming your from here,and its true like some of you say,if you go back and read the history of united states,you white people came here and took over,because honestly we the indians our people were the ones here first and this is our land and you have no right what so ever to try and discrimanate the illegal people here because you are just the same,and us that we are actually from here dont discrimanate like you white people,and you whites think that if the illegals leave this country is gonna be better,well let me tell you,you are wrong,because i bet most of you people will never do the jobs they do,yea they might get paid so little,for doing to much,but trust me none of you white folks will do what they do,and yea go ahead and keep saying you want them gone,just wait and see the big impact this country is gonna have when they leave,everything is gonna fall out of place,and you can see it happening right now in alabama,and thats how its gonna be,more business's are gonna shut down and your crops are gonna rot,but yea you white folks just keep telling them to leave and you will see how this country falls apart,just watch!!!!

Illegal should go. We cannot afford to continue paying for their healthcare and schooling of their children. The majority of them do not pay taxes as we do. Many are criminals and the majority don't want to obey the laws of this country. Actually it is the employer's fault that they are here because they do not want to pay fair salaries to legal inmigrants or citizens. It is time for them to go.

I can not believe the comments this person wrote in this article. Are you really serious? I'm not to worried about crops here in the US cause most of the people that farm are ones that can afford a combine. What a joke this article is!

AMERICAN ARROGANCE. LOOK AT YOUR NEW GENERATION, CAN'T ADD OR MULTIPLY, DON'T KNOW CRAP ABOUT SCIENCE, HISTORY, ALL THEY DO IS TEXT, FACEBOOK, DRUGS, LAZY TOO PRETTY AND TOO AMERICAN TO CARE. AMERICA WAS CREATED AS A RACIST NATION FROM THE BEGINNING. YOU EVEN BELIEVE BLACKS SHOULD GO BACK TO AFRICA. ALL YOU THINK ABOUT IS SEP 11, EVIL MUSLIMS AND ILLEGALS WHILE CHINA AND ASIA TAKE OVER THE WORLD. DON'T WORRY YOU WONT HAVE MORE ILLEGALS SOON CAUSE THE POOR COUNTRIES WILL ALLY WITH CHINA THE NEW WORLD POWER CAUSE NOBODY BELIEVES YOUR LIES AND FAKE WARS ANYMORE. AND YES ALL EMPIRES FALL. YOURS IS CRUMBLING SLOWLY BUT SURELY.

I believe that if the person has done a crime while in the country for example robbery, murder, rape, anything drug related, etc... those are the ones that need to be deported. But the ones who have learned english and work and pay taxes that go to the americans that sit on their arses collecting assistance from the government, who have children that are u.s. citizens they should be able to stay. And some of you say "when their gone the americans will have jobs and it will lower unemployment." WHATEVER!! what happens is the lazy spoiled americans continue to sit on their arse collecting assistance while crops are rotting, they don't care if the cost of food rises the government pays for their food. another thing is those who happen to work under the table that money comes back to the u.s. when they buy grocery's to feed their family, when they pay their rent and utilities, when they buy cars and gas for the cars.

Can you say discrimination???? You are discriminating on the basic of their color or where they are born. (so isnt that illegal too??)

Try to get to know them. They are the most hard working people that i have ever meet.

THE UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE Deserve to be here. They are here. Our system failed and now to make us safe after 9-11-01, we must give them the right to be here. We would then have a way to track and to get a secure United States. Never going to get them all to leave..they are 12-15 millions here...they are not hurting you...they are just trying to live their lives...like you...

How 'bout all those US citizens on welfare and unemployment, living in public housing, who aren't doing a G-D thing get shipped to Alabama & Georgia to pick those crops. If there is a job not filled, someone receiving government benefits should HAVE to take it before getting one red cent of my hard-earned money for doing nothing.

Who is this Anonymous? Especially the loudmouth one with the upper case only keyboard. If you don't think that your opinions are worth putting your name on, then why should I think that they are anything more than meaningless blather. Why don't you just keep your opinions to yourself or only send them to Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum?

You say Americans won't take the jobs or do the work the illegals are doing? Maybe that's because we actually pay for our education and a job like that would seem almost like a slap in the face. It wouldn't even begin to pay for our student loans! So, maybe people who have to do community service or inmates could be forced to work on these farms. Farmers would save money by not having to pay for the work and yet they would benefit with bountiful crops. We as Americans wouldn't see a hike in food prices all the time. As far as deporting the illegal immigrants..I say do it! We are not saying we don't want them here, we are saying do it right! If you really want the American dream then go get it...like the rest of us do! No one knocks on our door and hands us free education..our parents work and therefore we too will work. It's not fair to watch young illegal immigrant children enjoying free health care and education while you are working 40+ hours a week and can't afford braces for your own children! I say deport them all with instructional papers in hand on how to come here and contribute to our society..not way it down with financial burdens. Our small business owners who thrive on the business of illegal immigrants will just have to adjust. Shame on them anyhow. I am looking forward to going to the store and hearing people speak ENGLISH instead of this annoying jibbering. Speaking English should be mandatory for citizenship.

The thing that aggravates me about illegal immigrants of ANY race being here is that there's no way to track them down when they commit a crime or cause a problem. In 2008, my vehicle was sideswiped and landed head-on into a utility pole at approximately 40mph. The suspect tried to flee but was "coralled" by other vehicles and forced to stop. He only had a Mexican driver's license (thank you, Allstate, for insuring someone with no US license). I sustained a torn tendon in my wrist and a torn rotator cuff, which surgery repaired. My vehicle, only two years old at the time, was totalled. Mr. Immigrant disappeared off the map and was never seen again. Allstate claimed they couldn't locate him, and even through an attorney-aided settlement didn't cover all my "over-and-above" expenses (I have auto as well as health insurance). I realize I was one of the lucky ones, because at least I survived. So many people don't when there's an illegal behind the wheel that neither understands nor probably cares about how our laws operate.

AFTER THEY ARE SEND THEY ARE GO TO WORK FOR DRUGS CARTELS IN THEY ORIGEN LANDS. AND WEWE THAT DRUGS WENT??COLONIASLISM. WHAT THAT WORD MEANING? WERE THE COLONIALISTS PEOPLE FROM ENGLAND AND SPAIN WITH A LEGAL VISA AND PASSAPORT ALLOWED TO INMIGRATE TO THIS COUNTRY OR THEY WERE ILEGALS INMIGRANTS LIKE THA LAST GENERATION OF ILEGALS INMIGRANTS???A CHINE PROVERB SAID : THE DESENDED OF LANDS THIEF ARE THE ONES THAT MORE CLAIM THE STOLEN LAND AS ORIGINAL LAND LORDS.NOW,LET MAKE A INMIGRANT LAW TO DEPORT ALL ILEGAL INMIGRANTS,BUT,BUT MAKE ITS LAW VERY REOTRACTIVE TO THE YEARS 1600 AND PUT HOME LAND OFFICE AND THE INMIGRATION OFFICE IN THE HANDS OF THE HANDS OF THE NATIVE AMERICANS THAT ARE. LEFT AROUND. SO. IT BE ENFORCE FOR. N,A,T.O. AND UNITED NATIONS AND WHAT WE WILL GET?? I WILL TELL YOU: A FULL COUNTRY OF ILEGAL DESENDENTS OF EUROPEANS INMIGRANTS.AMERICA WAS BUILT FOR ILEGALS INMIGRANTS FROM EUROPE,CHINA,AND AS A CHAME NATIVES AMERICANS WERE ACEPTED AS USA CITICENZ IN 1929.NOW THAT ALL THOSE AGAINST THIS SITUATION DONT KNOW THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY AND. BEHAVE AND ACT AS NATIVE AMERICANS IS A TRAVESTIMS OF THE HISTORY OF USA.COLONIALIST MEAN CRIMINALS: LANDS THIEF,GOLD SILVER,WOODS,WOMENS KIDS,RAPERS. CULTURE EXTERMINATORS, SLAVERS AND LOT OF OTHERS NASTYS HUMANS ACTIONS.AND THOSE WITH SO MUCH HATE AGAINSTS THOSE WORKRS MUST BE SEARCHED FOR THEIR GEANOLOGICAL TREE TO SEE WERE THEIR FAMILIES CAME FROM AND WHY?SOME BODY WIHT THE ADOLF HITLER S SOUL ARE TRYING TO TO TURN U.S.A. INTO A POLICE STATE AS THE EX SOVIET UNION WAS.WHEN ORANGES,TOMATES,ONIONS,TOBBACO,CHIKENS,STARTED TO CAME FROM CHINA,MEXICO ??AT THE END OF THE HISTORY. U.S. A. IS JUST A LAND OF ILEGALS DISGASE OF NATIVES.

From what I understand of this article, I think it's awesome. If you think about it, we're all descended from immigrants. The only difference between documented and undocumented immigrants is that documented immigrants have a lot of paperwork taking up space. We just recently finished discussing our opinions on the position of illegal immigrants and I have to say, yours is awesome!

We can learn to live without them, as we did before, till the past administrations got in bed with the home builders association and others for cheap labor, with no regard to how it affects our nation. We have always had waivers for agricultural labors for picking vegetables, but in the short run, there will be disruptions as we try to live by the laws. The author of this article, is out of touch with american's but in touch with the editors of the charlotte observer. Maybe the CO can hire an illegal toreplace him to write similar articles, that would be more authentic, and this author can write in about how happy he is that he lost his job so an illegal could have it. He can put his money where his mouth is.

If only a little common sense was used. Allowing the ongoing illegals to stay is not only bad for America, its bad for the illegals.

Having 10 people live in a 3 bedroom home and barely get by is not American.

Saving every penny so they can go home and have a decent living is not American.

Teaching a entire new group of possible immigrants to America that cheating the tax system, the ability to get around the law for crime, whining more than working hard gets you $$. Is not American.

If you truly cared about the illegals you would expect more, you would up hold American values that have put us at the top. You would teach them working hard pays off.

Just like are current crappy school systems. Expect less, pass kids so they social fit in doesn't work. When they have kids what are they going to teach them? Not how they worked hard, were expected to perform, and can actually help there kids. With the system now we are not doing this, we are teaching them to teach there kids to game the system, not work hard, not set goals and achieve. So we will have yet another lost generation.

About the Farmers, The farmers want "Cheap"!! They are barley able to get by because trade agreements with other countries simply do not allow America to be competitive, Its cheaper to ship food halfway across the world using god knows how much oil. Common sense says this should not be. This is not American, this is Ideology gone bad.

They should innovate and make working conditions better with technology. Press the Feds to make trade agreements competitive. Give the blue collar people a chance to work. Even Bill Clinton (the one who told factory workers that there jobs are going over seas and they need to get a degree for a white collar job, is now correcting himself and saying we need more American jobs, stop sending them overseas, make the trade agreements competitive. Going against what he put into place. At least he has the courage to say he was wrong.

Expect more, teach by example and lead people to prosperity!! Stop telling Blue collar workers that there jobs suck. They dont and are the back bone of America.

Giving people constant handouts will only grow the population that is in need and create bigger problems in the future. Missing the opportunity to bring people out of poverty and hardship.

So then, everyone that says to get rid of all illegals, do you mean we should all leave as well and give this land back to the people it was stolen from ILLEGALLY. Because, what everyone is posting here is forgetting about is that when all of our fore fathers arrived in this land, it was populated by its native peoples, who, I might add, helped them survive. They were then repaid by having the land stolen from them and they were taken from their homes and put on Reservations.

Seriously folks- unless you are Native American- we are ALL illegal imigrants...The FOUNDERS OF the good ole USA were Ponce De Leon and Christopher Colombus - nither of which were " American" we as americans ran the Indians out of their home, tortured, killed and gave them diseases... our ancestors STOLE what was rightfully thiers because they though they were a better breed .. Get a grip people and re-read your history books or better yet go to a reservation and meet your true Americans

I have no idea who this jerk thinks he is on the stand of forcing the immigrants out. We are all immigrants and with a stroke of a pen we could all be legal without the drama. We are a spoiled nation that do not want the jobs taken by the immigrants, and along with Canada we no longer have the people to fill the gaps that the dead soldiers left so we need the people to fill the spaces for our aging population. We are in a crisis mode with no hope of recovery. We need the street crews, sanitation workers and steel workers that will help this nation become great again, Obama caved to stupid republicans that have pie in the sky ideas that were all that and that's no longer true our corporations are out-sourcing in record numbers to avoid taxes. China owns most of the technology in this country and we need people to get straight there is no longer a great country without the help of all nations and immigrants working together.

If any other country on this earth forcefully disregarded our immigration policies,it would be considered an INVASION and would be met with military force..just because we share a border does not negate this policy..also..comparing "speeding" to illegaly entering a country is ludicrous.I have ZEROsympathy for these parasites.

America was founded through revolution..we made this country what it is through courage and pride....why can't the mexican population do the same? If you want a better life, Go home and fix your own house.or are you too cowardly to fight for a better life..america owes you nothing.